


Because confessions are too mainstream

by ChaNssi



Category: VIXX
Genre: I'm sure I sucked sorry, Idiots in Love, It's just side chasang tho, M/M, actually making it a game, cowards, kinda sweet tho, making a show of affection, vain attempt at humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-09 10:51:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16448489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaNssi/pseuds/ChaNssi
Summary: “No way,” Hongbin shakes his head. “You didn’t see the other man, Oh God, he was gorgeous. And he had a beautiful car. Oh my God, what if he’s his sugar daddy? Oh no, what have you done Sanghyuk? Why are you putting such thoughts into my head? I have to work,” Hongbin wails, flailing his hands around as if that would clear his mind. And the air.or alternatively, the one in which Hongbin is crushing on a man he only knows by face and kinda wants to ask him out for coffee but is too much of a coward to actually go and do it.





	Because confessions are too mainstream

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! 
> 
> This particular leobin actually surprisingly somehow turned out fluffy enough to not need an angst tag and that makes me happy cause OMG most Leobins I've read are angst ridden and I don't get why?? I'm not complaining lol. I love angst. It's merely an observation.
> 
> Right, this was the prompt btw :  
> There's this man from work that Hongbin always meets on the train, and he always walks four steps ahead of Hongbin on their way to work. One morning, Hongbin gets to walk in front of him by coincidence and this man suddenly runs past him yelling "I won't let you beat my winning score!" and shit, is that a challenge?

 

It’s a routine of sorts, for Hongbin to get out of the train at precisely eight thirteen in the morning, and to find that one man with those extremely familiar wide set shoulders almost always clad in a sleek, well-tailored suit, making his way to the same office building Hongbin’s work is situated in.

Hongbin doesn’t remember when it started, but he has gotten so used to having that four feet of distance between himself and the man with impeccable posture – okay, not really. It always seemed to Hongbin that the man had a sudden spurt of growth sometime in middle school and he’s been striving ever since to not fall flat on his face just because he doesn’t know what to do with all that extra bone and muscle – that he’s left disoriented the one day he gets out of the train and the man is nowhere to be seen.

Hongbin looks around, stalling for time as the train departs from the platform. Maybe the man ran late. Maybe he wasn’t going to work. Maybe Hongbin just didn’t pay proper attention. And, maybe Hongbin simply needs to stop thinking about some man he doesn’t even know the name of and just get to work before he gets a black mark for tardiness. That’s a big no-no in his books.

Sighing to himself, he begins his daily trek towards the building. He knows Sanghyuk is probably going to be running late, as always. His friend simply has no self-awareness, he’s come to realise.

Just as he is about to walk in through the entrance, something, or someone, stumbles into him, sending him crashing down on his butt. As if his day could go any worse.

Wincing in pain, he lifts his head to tell the person off for not even bothering to apologise, when he finds the same set of shoulders he had been keeping an eye out for – with a head attached to those beautiful shoulders, of course – looking at him with a sheepish smile.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t let you break my streak,” and that’s it. The man is gone before Hongbin has the chance to even register what the hell that was all about, but he surely hears the next thing clearly.

“Jung Taekwoon! You better make up to me this evening!” Another voice, a man’s, comes from somewhere close to him, and Hongbin picks himself up, looking for the source of it, dusting himself off.

Gorgeous. That’s the word that pops into his head the second he lays his eyes on him. For a man, he is weirdly thin but just as muscly and Hongbin has to physically tear his eyes away from him so as not to ogle. Hongbin still thinks his shoulder guy beats him in the otherworldly factor, though. He would, however, vehemently deny being maybe just a bit biased. Because he’s not. Still, he’s not blind.

“I’ll see you in the evening, go away Hakyeon,”

Hongbin searches for the new voice, but he somehow feels like he already knows whom it belongs to. The man with the broad shoulders, or Taekwoon, as he’s just about learnt, throws a smile to the other man by the car, who simply shakes his head and gets back into the car.

Of course, God always blesses people like that with not just nice faces but also with nice enough jobs. That car must have cost a fortune, seeing how shiny it looked.

Hongbin sighs again, wondering what the hell is the relationship between Taekwoon and Hakyeon, trying not to think there was anything special or hidden in between the lines of what Hakyeon had said to Taekwoon. It was probably a very innocent thing to say. After all, the man might not even be interested in other men. He could be straight. Whether or not he believes himself, well, that’s a different story.

He gets to his cubicle just in time. Surprisingly, Sanghyuk is waiting for him, a hip propped against Hongbin’s desk.

“What do you want?” Hongbin mutters, pushing Sanghyuk away from his desk and setting his bag against the side of it, and switches his desktop on.

“Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Sanghyuk comments, not leaving.

“Don’t you have work?” Hongbin asks pointedly.

Sanghyuk sighs dramatically. “I came by early today. I’m all set up, don’t worry,” He grabs a chair from a nearby cubicle and settles himself into it. “You still haven’t told me why you look like you’ve had the worst few hours of your life,”

“Go away, I’m not in the mood to talk,” Hongbin tries to push the rolling office chair away, but Sanghyuk proves to be too strong. Stupid Sanghyuk and his stupidly strong body. “Ugh.”

“Okay, spill,” Sanghyuk folds his arms across his chest. “Today would be nice. I don’t want Boss to come scold us for not working,”

Hongbin sighs. “I don’t think I can ask that man out anymore,” He complains, already giving up on himself. He also knows Sanghyuk wouldn’t leave him alone if he doesn’t speak.

“Oh, the guy you keep meeting every morning?” Sanghyuk raises an eyebrow.

“Yes, I think he has a boyfriend,” Hongbin looks down into his lap, fiddling with his fingers. “I really wanted to ask him out, you know?”

Sanghyuk snorts. “Believe me, you haven’t spoken to me about anything but how his shoulders are so fucking broad and how his legs seem to run for days. I know,”

Hongbin sends him a glare. “It’s not funny. Plus, he’s taken,” He buries his head in his hands. He hates feeling dejected so early in the morning.

“How sure are you? They could just be friends,” Sanghyuk retorts.

“Please, we are friends. And I’ve never once said I’ll make it up to you in the evening and shit like that,” Hongbin points between the two and makes a face like the thought itself repulses him.

“Maybe their friendship just works that way?” Sanghyuk points out.

“No way,” Hongbin shakes his head. “You didn’t see the other man, Oh God, he was gorgeous. And he had a beautiful car. Oh my God, what if he’s his sugar daddy? Oh no, what have you done Sanghyuk? Why are you putting such thoughts into my head? I have to work,” Hongbin wails, flailing his hands around as if that would clear his mind. And the air.

Sanghyuk puts his hands up into the air. “Hey, I didn’t even suggest anything. You’re the one jumping to conclusions,”

“You don’t understand. Taekwoon cannot be single with the way he looks. I’m doomed to live out my whole life without anyone by my side,” Hongbin sinks into his chair, making himself small, tucking his feet in.

Sanghyuk awkwardly pats him on his shoulder. “You have me,” He says, his voice just a bit offended that Hongbin didn’t think of him.

“Yeah, but you’re not _him_.”

“Whatever. I need to go. Wonshik is signalling crazily from there,” Sanghyuk points to Wonshik, one of their other friends from a cubicle close to their boss’s booth.

“Go. I didn’t ask you to stay,” Hongbin shoos him away.

He tries to concentrate on his work, he really does, but the images he’s conjured up in his mind of Taekwoon and Hakyeon and whatever ‘making up in the evening’ could entail, don’t help at all. He groans when his boss walks past him and tells him to stop muttering to himself about cat like eyes and pale milky white skin.

By the time lunch rolls around, he’s feeling exhausted without even having done any work. He doesn’t have much of an appetite so he simply grabs a bottle of yoghurt and some salad, and makes his way to the table he usually occupies with Sanghyuk and Wonshik.

“So, I heard.” Wonshik states, shoving a piece of meat into his mouth.

Hongbin sends a quick prayer to give him the strength to not strangle Sanghyuk. “Great. So can we just change the topic?”

Wonshik shakes his head just as Sanghyuk places his tray full of food on the table. “We can’t. I need to hear you trash talk about the guy you think is sleeping with your dream boy. It’s a necessity.” He shares a look with Sanghyuk. They’re barely holding their laughter in.

Hongbin sends him a look. “I don’t want to think about anyone sleeping with anyone, thank you very much,” If only looks could kill.

Sanghyuk sniggers. “Let him be, Wonshik. He’s just sad he’s going to have to keep using his hand at nights. Possibly forever.”

Hongbin shoots him a treacherous look. “How dare you. Just because I don’t need to sleep around to satiate myself, doesn’t mean you get to make fun of me,”

“Or, you’re just a prude,” Wonshik pops a half boiled broccoli into his mouth.

“Very rich coming from you, Kim Wonshik. You’re pining after that cute dude from tenth floor,” Hongbin folds his arms over his chest, his half-finished bottle of yoghurt forgotten.

“Excuse you, at least I know the name of the guy I like. Plus, I asked Jaehwan out. And he agreed,” Wonshik sits back in his chair comfortably and smirks at the two of his friends.

Hongbin and Sanghyuk look at him dumbly for a second, their jaws hanging open.

“Congrats, dude!” Sanghyuk cheers.

“What, what? How?” Hongbin sputters.

“Yes, lo and behold, the great Kim Wonshik has scored a date with the almighty Lee Jaehwan,” Wonshik smiles proudly. “I’m taking him out tonight,”

Hongbin sighs. “One of my friends sleeps around and the other just got the man of his dreams. I’m destined to be a lonely star,” Pushing his food tray aside, he slumps on the table.

“Oh, stop being so dramatic,” Sanghyuk hits him on his shoulder. “Fine, how about this, since Wonshik is taking Jaehwan out tonight, we’ll go stalk their asses and make sure our dear Wonshikkie here doesn’t make a fool out of himself,”

“Hey, I know how to not do that,” Wonshik fakes an offended look.

“Do you really not remember the last time you took someone out and failed to talk about yourself but ended up talking for hours on end about your Butt, making them call you a pervert? Sanghyuk raises an eyebrow.

Wonshik looks around sheepishly, a hand scratching at the back of his neck. “It’s not my fault they didn’t understand I was talking about my dog,”

“Really, because naming a Cream French Bulldog Butt was a great idea,” Hongbin deadpans.

“Okay, fine. Not one of my brightest moments,” Wonshik admits.

“So? Are you in?” Sanghyuk turns to Hongbin.

Hongbin smiles for what is probably the first time that day. “Why the hell not?”

.

.

.

Hongbin hasn’t ever thought of it, but stalking someone and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible is a very difficult thing to do. Crouched in the bushes behind the bus stand with Sanghyuk’s elbow digging into his ribs is certainly not very pleasant. But, from their vantage point, he can clearly see Wonshik talking animatedly to the cute guy, Jaehwan, who’s smiling as if he’s got eyes only for Wonshik and he thinks, maybe it isn’t so bad.

He imagines what it would be like to be standing in Wonshik’s position with Taekwoon looking at him like he lights up his world, like he has the answers to all the questions in the universe. He giggles to himself, the thought making him giddy.

Before he realises it, he’s being pulled up by his wrist and Sanghyuk is running to catch up with their friend and his date, both of whom have somehow crossed over to the other side of the street in a flash.

“What were you day dreaming about? Run, we’ll lose them,” Sanghyuk pants to him, his breathing quickened.

“Sorry,” Hongbin mutters.

All thoughts fly out of his mind when he’s suddenly standing in front of what seems to be a very newly opened restaurant with tasteful décor. “Uh. What are we doing here? No, what’s _Wonshik_ doing here?”

Sanghyuk looks equally stunned. “Man, I never knew Wonshik was loaded. This place looks expensive,”

Before they can decide whether or not to simply go back home, Hongbin’s eyes fall on something, or someone, and he drags Sanghyuk in, straightening his shirt in the process. Who cares that he’s dressed in strange sleuthing clothes Sanghyuk had thrown at him, right? “Just go with the flow,” He mutters to him.

Sanghyuk dumbly follows, but only after he follows Hongbin’s line of sight and realises. “Is that the guy? Taekwoon or whatever?”

Hongbin hisses at him to shut up. “Yes, that’s him,”

Sanghyuk furrows his eyebrows. “He seems to be ordering people around though. What is he doing here?”

Hongbin shoots him an unimpressed look. “Do I look like I know? I just learnt his freaking name today. But, I’m here to find out. Now shut up,” he says, as Taekwoon’s eyes land on the two of them and he makes his way towards them.

“Hi,” Taekwoon smiles airily, looking at Sanghyuk’s hand in Hongbin’s. “Would you like a table for your date?”

Sanghyuk notices the slight falter in Taekwoon’s expression and tries to pull back, but Hongbin holds on tighter.

“Yes, please,” Hongbin flashes a dimple to the man.

“What about Wonshik?” Sanghyuk mutters frantically as Taekwoon turns around and begins to lead them in. “And we’re not on a date!”

Hongbin stamps on his foot to make him shut up, smiling sweetly when Sanghyuk glares at him in pain. He gestures for him to shut the fuck up with a finger drawn to his lips. “We are now.”

Sanghyuk sighs, but follows anyway. Hongbin is still holding on to his hand. And he wants to stay out of whatever mess Hongbin is pulling him towards, but tough luck.

Taekwoon brings them to a pretty secluded corner of the floor, to a cosy table with a deep red table cloth and even a vase with fully bloomed roses sitting right smack in the middle of it. The ambience is quiet and romantic with a slight accompaniment of a violin and piano sounding from a place not too far away. It is simply perfect for a date.

He pulls a chair out and gestures for Hongbin to take his seat, repeating the gesture for Sanghyuk, but Sanghyuk clearly feels the difference in the smiles Taekwoon showers the both of them with.

“I’ll have the Maître’ D over immediately,” he says. He feels Sanghyuk’s gaze on him and mutters an apology. “I’m sorry, I think my boyfriend is calling me,” and turns away from them.

Sanghyuk finally breathes. “What the hell are we doing here? What about Wonshik?”

Hongbin sinks down into his chair. “I don’t know, okay? It was a moment of panic and I just grabbed you in. And didn’t you hear? He has a boyfriend. He just confirmed it. I think I’m going to cry.”

.

.

.

Taekwoon drops his smile the second he turns away from the dimpled beauty and his date. He vaguely wonders how in the world he managed to not tear the two of them apart when he’d seen them hold hands. Friends didn’t hold hands for that long, did they?

Damn it.

He should’ve known, really. No one that amazing could ever be single. And his boyfriend looked great too.

Making sure someone is sent to take their order, he runs into the kitchens, searching for his friend. He finds him, standing over the large pot of soup and shaking his head at the chef.

Taekwoon grabs Hakyeon’s hand, smiling apologetically at the chef and pulls him into a corner.

“Hakyeon, he’s here,” He frantically waves his hands around, as if that would explain everything.

Hakyeon props a hand on his hip. “You’re not making any sense,” He deadpans.

Taekwoon looks frustrated with Hakyeon. “That man. From my office? The one with the dimples,”

“Ah,” a look of understanding flashes across Hakyeon’s face. “your eternal crush. Of course! What about him?”

“He’s here. In our restaurant,” Taekwoon smiles slightly before it fades. “But, he’s here with his boyfriend.”

Hakyeon looks surprised at that. “Didn’t you say he was single?”

Taekwoon shakes his head as if he doesn’t know why in the world he ever thought that. “I didn’t know until I saw them holding hands, either. Hakyeon, I need your help,”

Hakyeon backs away slightly. “With?” He asks cautiously. He knows his friend well enough to know just how idiotic his ideas could be at times. Most times.

“I don’t know,” Taekwoon wracks his brains trying to understand what he needs Hakyeon for. “Help me make a good impression or something,”

“Are you trying to be a homewrecker, Taekwoon?” Hakyeon narrows his eyes.

“No, that’s not it. I just want to know his name at least. I’ve wanted to take him out on a date for two hundred and four days, now. I deserve to at least know his name, don’t I?”

Hakyeon nods slowly. “Fine, but don’t pull any stupid stunts.” He thinks it best to not comment on how Taekwoon has kept track of how long he’s been crushing for. It’s just a tad creepy.

.

.

.

Taekwoon pulls Hakyeon by his wrist towards the table he had them seated at, but in a moment of panic, he steps behind one of the large pillars and rests against it, pulling Hakyeon with him.

“What the hell?” Hakyeon frowns.

“Shh, don’t be so loud! They’ll hear you! Let me calm down a bit,” Taekwoon pulls out his neatly folded hand kerchief and dabs his forehead with it.

“You’re being stupid, Taek, You weren’t even this nervous when we opened this place up,” Hakyeon points out, trying to peak from behind the pillar.

Taekwoon opens his mouth once, closes it promptly, and opens it again.

“What?” Hakyeon raises an eyebrow.

“I may have said that you’re my boyfriend,” He looks away, sheepish.

“Taekwoon,” Hakyeon nearly screams. Lowering his voice, he continues. “That’s not the way to make an impression on someone you like, you idiot.”

“I panicked!” Taekwoon whispers.

Hakyeon shakes his head. Disappointed, but not surprised. “Clearly,” He comments.

.

.

.

“We should leave,” Hongbin mutters for the hundredth time since Taekwoon left them. Or is it just the seventh? He doesn’t know. He just wants to disappear.

Sanghyuk sighs. “Dude, the food tastes amazing and I’m not leaving because I’m fucking paying for this,” The pasta was probably the best he’s ever had in his entire life.

“You heard him. He already has a boyfriend. I’m pretty sure it’s that gorgeous one from the morning. Ugh, the sugar daddy bitch. So what am I doing here?”

“Enjoying dinner with this jock,” Sanghyuk points to himself, only to get a kick to his shins under the table. “And stop calling some stranger a sugar daddy. You’re being a drama queen,”

From his peripheral vision, a flash of movement catches Sanghyuk’s eyes, and amusement fills him when he notices Taekwoon glaring at him from behind a pillar.

He twirls his fork through a bit of the pasta on his plate and leans over the table, asking Hongbin to open his mouth and feeds him, making sure to even wipe a bit of the sauce off Hongbin’s face with his fingers and licking it, giving a good show.

“What the hell, dude?” Hongbin looks at him with disgust.

Before Sanghyuk can reply, two people walk up to their table.

“Hi, I’m Hakyeon,” a man smiles at the two of them and Sanghyuk is so overridden with his beauty that his mouth falls open. “And this is Taekwoon,” he gestures to a furiously blushing Taekwoon. “And we co-own this restaurant. I hope there wasn’t any problem with the service?”

Hongbin kicks him again under the table, sending him a look that tells him he should shut his mouth, and maybe stop drooling, while simultaneously signalling crazily that’s the man he’s been talking about. The sugar daddy. “Yes, thank you very much. The food here is really amazing, and so is the service. We have no complaints,”

Hakyeon smiles at Hongbin. “I’m glad,”

But, Hongbin doesn’t want to smile back. He wants to be back in his room, and bawl his eyes out. Because now, he can’t even argue with himself that Taekwoon’s boyfriend is his sugar daddy. The man is too nice. Who gave him the permission to smile at Hongbin like that? And why was Sanghyuk not helping him?

He doesn’t know what comes over him, but the next second, he’s got his lips on Sanghyuk’s, his hand at the back of Sanghyuk’s neck and he knows he’s kissing his best friend in front of his crush and his crush’s boyfriend, but he can’t help it. He just hopes Sanghyuk doesn’t kill him right there.

Taekwoon seethes besides Hakyeon. He wants to pull them apart and possibly dunk the stupid boyfriend’s head into that chocolate fountain he had specifically gotten custom made, but instead, he settles to grab Hakyeon’s waist and pulls him close. He can’t possibly lose to this show of affection.

Sanghyuk pulls away, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand in disgust and thanking the Gods that Hongbin didn’t at least stick his tongue in, because Lord only knows what he might have done if that happened.

Hakyeon sighs against Taekwoon’s hold, but doesn’t pull away. He’s simply exasperated at acts of affection having become a game of sorts between the two. Sanghyuk’s little display of disgust doesn’t escape him, though, and an idea blooms within him.

Hakyeon winks at Sanghyuk, and lowers his voice. “I think I may have something that might interest you, Mr…” he trails off.

“Sanghyuk,” he supplies, unable to take his eyes off of the gorgeous man.

“Mr. Sanghyuk. Would you like to accompany me?” Hakyeon tilts his head to the side, showing off the best angle of his face and exposing his long neck.

Sanghyuk gulps, and before either Taekwoon or Hongbin can voice their protests, Hakyeon drags Sanghyuk out to the staff area.

“I’m guessing he’s just a friend?” Hakyeon asks, pushing Sanghyuk on to the couch in his office and handing him a cup of steaming hot calming tea.

“Oh, God. He’s my best friend, and he’s being an idiot.” Sanghyuk takes a sip.

“Great, because the same goes with me too. Taekwoon has had a crush on your friend for so long, there’s nothing I hear sometimes but about how his dimples are the cure for cancer or whatever else sort of a shitty comparison he comes up with,” Hakyeon settles into the couch, closer to Sanghyuk than necessary on an extremely wide set couch.

“Enough about them. Why don’t you tell me about yourself, Sanghyuk?” Hakyeon almost purrs.

Sanghyuk places the cup of tea on the teapoy, and with a sudden burst of confidence, he closes what little gap Hakyeon had left between the two and crashes his lips on the other’s.

They kiss. It’s rough, it’s hot, it’s bliss. They fit extremely well. And they don’t want to let each other go.

After what seems like an hour, or two – it was just a few minutes, really – they straighten up whatever they can just to look presentable, and make their way back to their friends, only to find Taekwoon is pacing the floor angrily and Hongbin is no-where to be seen.

“Shit,” Sanghyuk mutters, pulling his cell phone out. “I’ll text you,” he mutters to Hakyeon and leaves.

Hakyeon pulls Taekwoon over to an empty chair. “What happened? We left you alone so you could talk it out,”

Taekwoon looks up, frustrated at himself. “I fucked up. Instead of coming clean, I may have talked about how great of a boyfriend you are,”

Hakyeon sighs. He runs his fingers through his already tousled hair. “What did he say?”

“He talked about Sanghyuk, of course,” Taekwoon mutters, a hint of irritation behind his words.

“Idiots. Both of you are such idiots,” Hakyeon walks away.

.

.

.

When Hongbin gets out the train at eight thirteen the next morning, he makes sure he keeps his eyes trained straight ahead and not at Taekwoon’s back. He kind of wants to kick himself in the ass for having made his fake relationship seem like it was the best thing in the world and how he couldn’t ask for anyone better than Sanghyuk, but he couldn’t help it. Taekwoon went on and on about his stupidly handsome boyfriend and he just didn’t want to seem like an idiot.

He sighs to himself, but when he notices Taekwoon walking fast towards the building, in a sudden spurt of rage, he decides he’ll break his streak or whatever stupid shit he’d spouted about the previous morning, and he breaks out in a run. He should’ve worn running shoes, really.

No way in hell is he willing to let Taekwoon win at whatever stupid game he was playing all by himself.

Hongbin shoulders his way through the crowd, running up the stairs of the subway station, almost bumping into an older lady, stopping barely to catch his breath just a bit and to bow his head in apology to her.

He can see the back of Taekwoon’s head just as he races to a stop at the traffic lights right across from their shared office building, but Taekwoon is already on the other side of the road. Uncaring that the traffic lights read orange, Hongbin dashes through the zebra crossing, his hand held out in a “stop” gesture to any wayward vehicles.

He’s almost at the other side, when he heard honks blaring at him, but it’s just two steps, one now, and he’s crossed over.

Not losing any more time, Hongbin runs forward and pushes Taekwoon’s annoyingly broad shoulders out of his way, making him stumble, and makes his way towards the large gateway.

Taekwoon only just realises who pushed him aside, and he breaks out in a run as well, following close behind Hongbin.

“Hey, don’t. It’s my two hundred and fifth day! You can’t reach the door before me!” Taekwoon shouts, making confused heads from other office goers turn their heads towards the two grown men running at full speeds in their suits.

“I’m not stopping. I’m winning today!” Hongbin shouts back.

He’s almost at the door. He can hear Taekwoon’s footsteps closing in, but just as he reaches for the doorknob, alarming the security guard in the process, he stops short in horror. Behind him, he knows Taekwoon has done the same because he can’t hear the thuds of shoes against the ground anymore.

Hongbin rubs at his eyes, wondering if he’s seeing things.

“I… Uh… I don’t think you’re seeing things,” Taekwoon clears his throat awkwardly, sounding like he absolutely doesn’t want to be caught dead there.

Hongbin can’t seem to utter a word. His jaw is thrown open.

Fuck, he has never been this embarrassed in his whole entire life. What in the world is he supposed to say? How can he explain either to himself or to Taekwoon that their supposed boyfriends are making out right smack in the middle of the entrance to their building?

He grows angrier and more embarrassed the longer he stands there and stares at his best friend, Sanghyuk, kiss Taekwoon’s boyfriend, or whatever he is, Hakyeon. It’s not simply kissing either. They are full on making out in public.

“I…,” He clears his throat to say something, anything , to somehow salvage the situation and save his face in the whole ordeal, but nothing coherent seems to make its way out of his mouth. How is he supposed to react to his best friend making out with his crush’s boyfriend? Should he apologise? Should he tear them apart? Should he just leave?

Hongbin decides it’s best to simply get away. He doesn’t care about his pay being cut for the day. He can live with that. Ramen for a few days sounds amazing.

“I’m sorry,” he manages to utter before stepping away from Taekwoon, and turns back towards the direction of the subway station.

“Wait,” Hongbin hears Taekwoon but figures he cannot deal with that shit in his current condition and opts to speed walk away instead.

Taekwoon grabs Hongbin’s wrist just as he’s reached the traffic lights again. “Hongbin,”

That’s the first time Taekwoon has said his name in the less than twenty four hours that they’ve spoken to each other for the first time since, and Hongbin’s traitorous heart decides to gallop just at that moment.

Hongbin stalls in his spot, his eyes wide, his heart hammering. The part of his wrist in Taekwoon’s hand feels like its burning. He can feel each and every ridge of Taekwoon’s fingers pressing into his skin, and it feels like everything he’s ever imagined and so much more.

Shit, he’s in too deep.

Taekwoon lets his hand go, face flushed red. He clears his throat. He wants to apologise for his best friend doing something stupid, but the only thing that comes out in a moment of panic is, ”Hakyeon is not my boyfriend.” He should be apologising for his best friend being an ass, but priorities, right?

Hongbin feels his eyes grow larger than they already are. “What?” He gapes.

Taekwoon takes a step back, not knowing what to say. “He… Uh.. I… we’re best friends, that’s all,” He manages.

Hongbin cannot do anything but continue to gape.

Taekwoon looks around the busy street, looking for something that might help and he spots a café down the street. “Why don’t you come with me and I’ll explain the situation?”

Hongbin nods slowly. He’s kind of at a loss for words. Again. In less than ten minutes. What a start to his day.

.

.

.

It’s awkward. Hongbin hadn’t expected his first coffee with Taekwoon to be filled with such uncomfortable silence. But, he is as much at a loss for words as he expects Taekwoon probably is.

He takes a sip out of his drink and places it back on the table in front of them. He clears his throat. “So,” he begins.

Taekwoon looks up at him from his gaze trained on his lap. He looks expectant.

“I should probably tell you that Sanghyuk isn’t my boyfriend either,” Hongbin clarifies.

Taekwoon is taken aback by the confession. “No way. You kissed him yesterday,”

Hongbin laughs awkwardly because he doesn’t know what else to do. “That was because I got jealous,” He admits after a while, looking down at his feet.

Taekwoon looks at him incredulously. “What made you so jealous that you kissed your best friend?”

Hongbin clears his throat. “I just..” How should he put into words that he only did what he did to make it seem like he was in a happy relationship in front of his crush? “I don’t know. You said you had a boyfriend and I just felt the need to show you that I had one as well.”

Now that it’s out in the open, it sounds so lame he cannot believe himself. Did he really?

Taekwoon gives him a funny look. “That’s the worst idea ever,”

“Hey, you’re no better!” Hongbin retorts.

Taekwoon smiles at him sheepishly. “I guess,” He clears his throat and starts again, properly. “Okay, can we please start this again?”

Hongbin considers him with a tiny frown. “I don’t believe in starting over. But, I do believe in new chapters of the same story, so why not come clear this time?”

Taekwoon gives him a small smile, but it radiates with happiness despite how tiny it actually is. “Alright, what do you want to know?”

Hongbin tilts his head to the side. “Okay, first things first, what’s with the streak?” He’s actually curious to know.

Taekwoon clears his throat awkwardly. “You’re going to think I’m a creep or something,” He looks down, embarrassed. After a beat of silence, he decides it best to rip the bandage as quickly as possible. “So, it was exactly two hundred and five days ago that the loan for our restaurant got sanctioned,” He starts and stares at Hongbin as if that explains it all.

Hongbin stares back and gestures for him to continue.

Taekwoon sighs. “Back then, I was in a very bad place. I hated working in the office, but I needed to save up what little I could so one day, my dream of setting up my own restaurant would come true. At least five different banks had already disapproved the loan and nothing was going our way.” He looks up to see if Hongbin is following.

Satisfied that he has his attention, he continues. “And that’s when I first laid my eyes on you. God, it sounds so bad when I say it out loud, but I like to believe that you became a sort of lucky charm for me?” He ends it as a question, unsure of himself. “The loan got through, and I got out of my depression and so many good things started happening.”

“So I told myself, because I’m awkward at socialising and can’t seem to hold a decent conversation, I would at least show my thanks to you by opening the door to the building for you. That’s why I made sure to always stay ahead,” Taekwoon looks away, a slight dust of pink across his cheeks.

Hongbin listens to it all intently, his own cheeks colouring as the tiny story progresses. “Lucky charm? You really think that?” He’s flattered beyond belief.

Taekwoon lets out a small laugh and Hongbin loves how airy it sounds, effortlessly cute. “Yes, I do.”

Hongbin smiles, genuine happiness radiating from him. “That’s embarrassing, but cute,”

They settle back into comfortable silence for a while, sipping their respective drinks.

“I like the way you always make sure to give something or the other to that old lady outside of the station,” Hongbin speaks, breaking the silence and surprising Taekwoon. “I also like the way you stop to play with people’s pets on the way to work,”

Taekwoon sets his cup down on the table in front of him. “Really? You noticed me?”

Hongbin nods, a blush creeping up his neck and warming his cheeks. “Yes, I did. I’ve had this crush on you for so long but I didn’t even know your name. I was hopelessly crushed yesterday when you said your friend is your boyfriend,”

Taekwoon stands up from his seat and goes around the table. Taking Hongbin’s hands into his own, he runs the pads of his thumbs along his palm. “You shouldn’t worry about Yeon. And, honestly, I was just as crushed yesterday. But, let me tell you here, Lee Hongbin, I like you,”

Hongbin blushes even harder. “Cheesy. I thought we’d already established the fact that I like you too. Don’t just put on a public show,”

Taekwoon smiles. “Only for you,” He leans down and places a tiny kiss against the side of Hongbin’s mouth.

Hongbin frowns. “I don’t like public displays of affection,” He mutters, just as he throws his hands around Taekwoon’s shoulders and pulls him in for a proper kiss, not just a peck.

Taekwoon smiles against Hongbin’s lips.

.

.

.

Sanghyuk and Hakyeon watch from the sidelines, as their two idiot best friends walk back to the office building, hand in hand, small smiles playing on their lips.

Sanghyuk turns to Hakyeon. “Finally, I won’t have to watch Hongbin pine anymore,”

Hakyeon hums in response. “It’s nice to see them together. I’ll probably bug Taekwoon to tell me every single detail later on. Wanna join me?”

Sanghyuk grins. “I’d love to, but he probably won’t let me anywhere near him, if I remember just how much he was glaring at me yesterday,”

Hakyeon pulls himself close to Sanghyuk. “Oh, you don’t have to necessarily be present there physically. There’s this thing called speaker mode on your mobile phone, it comes in handy at times like this,” He leans close to his ears. “Also, who knows, maybe we can use the phone for other purposes too,”

Sanghyuk sucks in a sharp breath. “What if I want the real deal?”

Hakyeon laughs, tapping him on the nose. “Take me on a date, and maybe we’ll talk,”


End file.
